The Elements

So, this week, I have been teaching the Elements of Music to my Enrichment Music classes. Of course, the elements of music are rhythm, harmony, dynamics....etc. I explained to all of my students that all of the elements mix together to make great music but by themselves, they are just individual pieces. To illustrate this point, I shared a story with my classes about my late Grandmother, Louise Trowbridge Hayden and how she cooked so brilliantly for the Hayden family for years and years. I talked about her "World Famous Buttermilk Biscuits" that I sing about in my song on my new album called "The Hill". I described myself, as a college student, sitting in the kitchen trying to record the proper amounts of each ELEMENT that went into her magical recipes. It was always funny and she would just laugh at me because she never knew the exact amounts that went into her dishes. The students enjoyed the story and sharing it just got me thinking about Grandma and how special she was to all of us.

If you had any thoughts of eating at Jesse and Louise's house, well, you would have had to have been there at 6 AM, 12 PM or 6 PM. This was a religious tradition with my Grandmother and if you weren't there, well, you just missed the meal. My Grandmother was very structured with everything she chose to do and you weren't going to drop by and pick her up unannounced to just go somewhere. No, you had to let her know and she had to make plans. It was structured oeveryday but in the world that we live in today, it now seems beautiful. Her devotion and dedication to being the absolute best person in the world and working so hard to make everyne happy was always evident to anyone who spent time with her. I can always remember the many times that she would cook and work her magic while we were loving it, and she would say........."I don't think I made it as well as I have before". She was amazing and I can now see that her purpose in life was being fulfilled each day by serving her family in so many ways. It was an artform that unfortunately seems to be lost today with so many. Most of us are so busy running the races that we couldn't dream of a life as simple as the one that she lived just a little more than ten years ago. It is staggering to think about and the comparison to my own life and how busy I am is incredible.

On that note, I taught a full day, then picked up a set of lights for the gigs this weekend. I have lots of prep work to do tonight to prepare for the performances this weekend. Wow, I sure could use a quiet day with one of those lunches that my Grandmother would fix each day during the summer with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, peas and a big cold glass of her great Iced Tea. Wow, I sure do miss her!!

Have a great day!!!

Gregory